Assessment of burnout syndrome and associated factors among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Overwhelming requirements, a high degree of work, and prolonged exposure to emotionally demanding circumstances in work and life settings can lead to burnout syndrome. The purpose of the study is to assess burnout syndrome and its associated factors among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional, prospective, descriptive study was conducted in a Mexican medical school during the last week of the spring semester of 2021 using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) and an associated factors survey. Results: Based on the MBI-SS definition, most students (54.2%, n = 332) had burnout symptoms and high emotional exhaustion (79.6%, n = 448), high cynicism (57.3%, n = 351), and low academic effectiveness (36.4%, n = 223). After adjusting the associated factors, a significant correlation between the school year and the presence of burnout was identified (OR 1.127, 95% CI [1.023-1.241], p<0.05). Regarding the current pandemic, the death of a family member by COVID-19 also put students at risk of developing burnout (OR 1.598*, 95% CI [1.080-2.363, p<0.05]). Limitations: The main limitation of this study was the lack of a control group (before the pandemic); therefore, the high prevalence of burnout can only be hypothesized due to the pandemic but cannot be objectively evidenced. A prospective study after the pandemic is needed to resolve this question. Conclusion: The coronavirus pandemic represents a challenge to the academic and psychological stability of students. It essential to continue assessing burnout levels in medical students and the general population to treat them in time and improve mental health.

Metabolic, inflammatory and adipokine differences on overweight/obese children with and without metabolic syndrome: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with low-grade inflammation and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in both children and adults. Our aim was to describe metabolic, inflammatory and adipokine differences on overweight/obese children with and without MetS. METHODS: This was an observational study. A total of 107 children and adolescents aged 6-18 years were included. Among this sample, n = 21 had normal body weight, n = 22 had overweight/obesity without MetS, and n = 64 had overweight/obesity with MetS. Anthropometric data and biochemical, adipokine, and inflammatory markers were measured. Different ratios were then assessed for estimate the probability of MetS. ROC analysis was used to estimate the diagnostic accuracy and optimal cutoff points for ratios. RESULTS: Serum CRP levels were higher among children with overweight/obesity with MetS. Adipokines like PAI-1 and leptin were significantly lower in children with normal body weight. The Adipo/Lep ratio was highest in the group with normal body weight. TG/HDL-C and TC/HDL-C ratios were significantly correlated with BMI, DBP, PCR, and PAI-1. TC/HDL-C ratio was significantly correlated with SBP and resistin. TGL/HDL-C ratio was significantly correlated with waist and hip circumferences, fasting glucose, and MCP-1. The AUC for TG/HDL-C at the optimal cutoff of 2.39 showed 85.71% sensitivity and 71.43% specificity. CT/HDL-C at the optimal cutoff of 3.70 showed 65.08% sensitivity and 81.82% specificity. Levels of both ratios increased significantly as additional MetS criteria were fulfilled. CONCLUSION: Low-grade inflammation is correlated with MetS in children with overweight/obesity. TGL, HDL-C and TGL/HDL-C ratio, obtainable from routine lab tests, allows identification of MetS in children with overweight or obesity.

Staph's Toxins IgE Antibodies and Its Relation to the Severity of Allergic Rhinitis.

Background: Specific IgE against Staphylococcus can be found in approximately 40% of patients with allergies, also in patients without allergies because they may be sensitized. These antibodies are functional, and they can induce histamine release contributing to chronic pruritus which can worsen disease severity. The objective of this study was to compare levels of specific IgE against S. aureus toxins in those populations. Methods: A cross-sectional, comparative non-blinded survey was made at the Regional Center for Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Ninety-nine adults between 18 and 70 years of age with allergic rhinitis (AR) and without allergic rhinitis (wAR) were recruited. A clinical history and demographic data, and allergic sensitization patterns to 35 aeroallergens were obtained, and participants were classified according to their severity using the Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) classification. Specific IgE levels were determined using ImmunoCAP™ 100 platform. Results: The median age (IQR) of the participants was 23 (20-33.7); 56.2% were women. The most frequent comorbidities were asthma and obesity. Of the patients with AR, 46.7% were classified as mild intermittent and 25% as moderate persistent. IgE levels against staph toxins A, B, and TSST were significantly higher in the AR group vs the wAR group [median IQR 0.01 (0.01-0.03) vs. 0.01 (0-0.02), p = 0.01; 0.02 (0.01-0.03) vs. 0.01 (0-0.02), p= 0.02; 0.04 (0.02-0.09) vs. 0.01 (0-0.04), p=0.002, respectably]. A significant difference was found in serum IgE levels against Staph B toxin between severity subgroups. Conclusion: People with AR have higher IgE levels against staph toxins A, B and TSST than wAR subjects. However, it is not possible declare that the IgE titers were related to disease severity.

Prevalence of facial canal dehiscence and other bone defects by computed tomography.

INTRODUCTION: The facial nerve is the most vulnerable structure during otological surgeries. Facial canal dehiscence (FCD) is the main risk factor for iatrogenic injuries. Its prevalence in clinical studies ranges between 6 and 33.3%, while anatomical studies report 25-57%. The objective was to determine the prevalence of FCD stratified by age and gender in a healthy population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Temporal bones from high-resolution computed tomography (CT) were analyzed. Patients with a history of trauma or tumors of the temporal bone, cholesteatomas, chronic middle ear disease, and any pathology that could modify the bone's anatomy, were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 184 temporal bones were included. FCD was observed in 94 (51.2%) of the analyzed bones. The tympanic portion was the most frequently affected site with 91 (49.5%), followed by the mastoid segment with 3 (1.6%). No dehiscence was found in the labyrinth portion. We observed 30 (31.9%) of the FCD involved the oval window. Other bone defects identified with the FCD included: 11 (11.7%) with a lateral semicircular canal fistula and 7 (7.4%) with tegmen tympani erosions. CONCLUSION: FCD has a high prevalence among healthy patients. A pre-surgical otological evaluation using high-resolution CT should be indicated to properly assess the patient and reduce the risk of injury.

Neurovascular structures at risk during anterolateral and medial arthroscopic approaches of the hip / Estructuras neurovasculares en riesgo durante abordajes artroscopicos anterolaterales y mediales de la cadera

To describe the safety areas for placement of 5 anterolateral portals (anterior, anterior lateral, posterior lateral, proximal anterior medial and distal anterior medial portals) and 3 recently described medial portals (anterior medial, posterior medial and distal posterior medial portals) to provide topographical description of the safety of each. A descriptive, observational and cross-sectional study in which femoral triangle dissection was performed in 12 hips. 5 lateral portals and the 3 medial portals were placed. Clinically relevant neurovascular structures associated with each portal, were identified measured and documented. The lateral portal with the highest risk of injury to a nearby neurovascular structure was the anterior portal, the most adjacent to the femoral cutaneous nerve, 1.42 cm (±0.85) lateral to the portal. In the medial portals, the anterior medial portal has the narrowest margin in relation to the femoral artery, 2.14 cm (±0.35) lateral to the portal and medial to the obturator nerve by 0.87 cm (±0.62). The lateral portals have a higher safety margin; the portal with the most proximity to a neurovascular structure is the anterior portal, associated laterally with the femoral cutaneous nerve, presenting a higher risk of injury. Medial portals have a higher risk of injuring the femoral neurovascular bundle as well as the obturator nerve.

El objetivo fue describir las áreas de seguridad para la colocación de 5 portales estándar (portal anterior, anterolateral, posterolateral, portal anterior proximal medial y portal anterior distal medial) y 3 portales mediales emergentes (antero medial, portal posteromedial y posteromedial distal) para proporcionar una descripción topográfica de la seguridad de cada portal. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, observacional y transversal, en la que se disecó el triángulo femoral de 12 caderas. Se colocaron los 5 portales laterales y los 3 portales mediales. Se documentó la medición de cada estructura neurovascular de relevancia clínica en relación a cada uno de los portales evaluados. En cuanto al portal de mayor riesgo entre los laterales, se encontró el portal anterior con mayor cercanía al nervio cutáneo femoral lateral (1,42±0,85 cm), ubicado lateral al portal. En los portales mediales el portal anterior medial tiene el margen más estrecho respecto a la arteria femoral (2,14±0,35 cm) lateral al portal, y medial el nervio obturador (0,87±0,62 cm). Los portales laterales tienen un amplio margen de seguridad, el portal con el margen más reducido es el portal anterior en relación al nervio cutáneo femoral lateral, presentando un elevado riesgo de lesionarlo, los portales mediales tienen un alto riesgo de lesionar las estructuras neurovasculares femorales y el nervio obturador.

Safe areas for the placement of standard shoulder arthroscopy portals: an anatomical study / Áreas seguras para la colocación de portales artroscópicos estándar de hombro: un estudio anatómico

The abundant vascular structures that surround the shoulder joint are complex and variable, complicating arthroscopy approaches. The aim of this study is to determine safe and risky areas around standard posterior and standard anterior portals, and accounting for the distribution of neurovascular structures of small and medium diameters that can lead to intra-articular bleeding during surgery. The standard posterior portal, and standard anterior portal were placed as described in the literature, and punch dissection was performed 2.5 cm around the trocar in situ. The arrangement of each identified structure was photographically documented and digitalized for each anatomic plane; the distance to the trocar and the diameter of each structure were measured. Based on each digitalized anatomic plane, safe and risky tissue areas were determined, and a clock face coordinate system was used to represent these areas. The safe area around the standard posterior portal was located between 11 and 1 o´clock for the left shoulder and 11 and 2 o´clock for the right shoulder. For the standard anterior portal, the safe area was located between 2 and 3 o´clock for the left shoulder and between 9 and 12 o´clock for the right shoulder. However, we did document a risk of injuring the cephalic vein 5 times, the axillary artery 3 times and the deltoid branch of the thoracoacromial artery once. This study reports quantitatively the total number of small diameter structures present in the two shoulder arthroscopic portals evaluated. The safe areas proposed in this study must be evaluated to propose new access points for performing arthroscopic procedures on the shoulder.

Las abundantes estructuras vasculares que rodean la articulación del hombro son complejas y variables, y dificultan los abordajes artroscópicos. El objetivo del estudio fue determinar áreas seguras y en riesgo en relación al portal posterior estándar y el portal anterior estándar y cuantificar la distribución de estructuras de diámetro pequeño e intermedio que puedan conducir a sangrado intraarticular durante la cirugía. El portal posterior estándar y el portal anterior estándar fueron colocados según su descripción en la literatura y fueron realizadas disecciones en sacabocado de 2,5 cm alrededor del trocar in situ. La disposición de cada estructura identificada fue documentada fotográficamente y digitalizada para cada plano anatómico. La distancia hacia el trocar y el diámetro de cada estructura fueron medidos. Basado en cada plano anatómico digitalizado, áreas de seguridad y riesgo tisular fueron determinadas y un sistema de coordenadas de manecillas de reloj fue utilizado para representar estas áreas. El área segura alrededor del portal posterior estándar fue localizada entre las 11 y las 1 en el sistema de las manecillas del reloj para hombros izquierdos y entre las 11 y las 2 para hombros derechos. Para el portal anterior estándar, el área segura fue localizada entre las 2 y 3 horas para hombros izquierdos y entre las 9 y 12 horas para hombros derechos. Aun así, se documentó el riesgo de lesionar la vena cefálica en 5 ocasiones, la arteria axilar en 3 ocasiones y la rama deltoidea de la arteria toracroacromial en una ocasión. Este estudio reporta cuantitativamente el número total de estructuras de pequeño diámetro presentes en los dos portales artroscopicos evaluados. Las áreas seguras propuestas en este estudio deben ser evaluadas para proponer nuevos puntos de acceso para la realización de procedimientos artroscopicos en el hombro.